


And He Told Me I was Holy

by mizufallsfromkumo



Series: Gravity [5]
Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bruce Wayne is a Good Dad, Gen, Human Experimentation, Hurt Dick Grayson, Jason Todd is a good brother, Manipulation, Nightmares, Past Abuse, Past Torture, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Secrets, Superpowers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-25
Updated: 2018-02-25
Packaged: 2019-03-23 22:11:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13797387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mizufallsfromkumo/pseuds/mizufallsfromkumo
Summary: Dick tensed.“Relax, kid, I’m the only one who knows your here.”  Slade assured easily.  Said in such a way that Dick actually believed the older man for some reason.  “I’ve convinced everyone you’ve slipped through our fingers again.  And you’re not going to make for Gotham for some time.  Everyone is looking everywhere but here.”  Slade continued with a simply as he toyed with the cup of coffee on the table.  “You’re welcome, by the way.”The teen hummed fakely at the older mercenary.  “Leaves me for just you.”  Dick returned pointly.





	And He Told Me I was Holy

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry, I didn't get this up yesterday. My day ended up being busier than expected, and then I got a super bad headache and went to sleep. So I am posting it as soon as I can today.
> 
> So this is it. This is where the truth of what going one with Dick comes out. Just to the readers though. Everyone else is still some time away.
> 
> This fic takes place right after "Sold My Soul to a Three-Piece"

The diner wasn’t too overcrowded.

It was a good two hours after the dinner rush, but still rather busy.  Most of the patrons were filling themselves with slices of pies, or conversing over a collections of shakes they were all sharing.  Or eating their breakfast before they ran off to their night shift somewhere.  Or stuffing their faces with some cheap food before a night of partying.

The chatter of everyone light in the air.  Mixing with the music of the old juke box in the far corner of the fifties-style diner, in a way that was never loud, or overpowering. 

But that’s how Mam’s Diner always was.  

Busy.  

Most of the tables filled with people eating or talking.  At any given hour of the day.  Even when it was considered slow.

It made it easy for Dick to walk right into the place unnoticed.

Well not  _ unnoticed _ .  The small bell above the door chimed as he opened it it, causing a few parties to turn.  And a waitress sweetly told him to sit where he wanted and someone would be with him shortly.  

But no one noticed him as Dick Grayson.

Not that they probably would.  

He was a far cry from the Dick Grayson, Bruce reported missing months ago.  No he was the fractured remains of that Dick Grayson.  To underweight and worn looking, with hair that was just a few centimeters short to be shoulder length.

Nor did they bat an eye at the oversized hoodie, worn old baseball cap, and sunglasses he was wearing to hide the fact.

After all everyone for all walks of life went to Mam’s at least once in their life.  From the Gothman Elite to the poorest person of the street.  Mob bosses to rookie police officers.  It was a known staple of Gotham for years in that way.

So they never batted an eye at anything anyone was wearing. 

Knowing why wasn’t their business. 

Nor was outing the customers as anything to anyone.

Dick found a booth towards the back corner of the diner.  Perfect view of most of the diner and everyone inside it.  Along with the view of the street outside the diners window front. Near the side door for an quick escape if he needed one.  

Which Dick really hope he didn’t.

The last the he wanted was Bruce stumbling across him on patrol.  Especially if he thought Dick was still in his room in the manor, handling whatever happened at dinner alone.  And it’s really not going to be great if Dick is running from something either.  Or moving around on rooftops like he never had before.

But he just really didn’t want to be at the manor at the moment.

Dick tried not to think about it too much as he slide into the red leather booth of the diner.

He needed space and air that he couldn’t get in the manor.  Couldn’t get with Bruce trying to figure out what in the world was going on with him. Just for a few hours, then he would go back.  

No one would be the wiser.

The acrobat plucked a flimsy menu from behind the condomients on the table.  Pretending to carefully examine it as he visually sweep the place.  An attempt to calm the small tingling in the back of his mind. The one that was giving fire to the small part of him that just felt like he should have stayed home.

Most of the partorns in the diner aren’t any real threats to him.  A few local gang members huddled around a table on the opposite side.  Two members of the Falcone mob were laughing over a meal three tables away from there door. Another group of some random thugs two tables away in front of him.  All groups aware of the three GCPD officers hunched over coffee at the counter.  A handful of late night workers scattered between them all.

But no one Dick can see to be a Shadow.

He left himself relax a little.

No one knew he was there.  Not even  _ Bruce _ .  And that was a good thing, because for once Dick felt like he could think.

After a few minutes, a waitress walked over to his booth.  A bubbly smile and sweet tone Dick knows she probably gave to everyone.  But it’s lighter and brighter then when she was talking to the thrugs two tables away.  Which meant, Dick was either a sorry sight, or she figured him to be someone who would tip her well.  She quickly took Dick’s order.  Happily chirping it back to him with a wide smile, before she turned on her heels and walked behind the counter.

Dick rolled his eyes behind his sunglass as she left.  Shaking his head slightly as he placed the menu back.  Ignoring the way the thugs snorted and muttered at him.

The waitress returned not long after with his drink and a straw.  Disappearing to go check on a few of her tables after Dick smiled and thanked her warmly as he slid the straw into his drink.  

With a sigh, Dick collapsed against the booth.  Shifting the against the booth to rest his head on just the top of the cushion.  Bring his feet to rest on the set of the booth across from him.  

Grinning to himself slightly for a moment at that fact.

The last time he had been at Mam’s it was some school morning back when Dick was like elven.  Alfred was out of town visiting family...and Bruce was not up for burnt breakfast again for the third morning in a row.  And it had been a long patrol the night before too.  

Long story short, they ended up at Mam’s Diner at just after the crack of dawn.  With terrible disguises because for some reason the Gotham Gossip Wheel was turning and the paparazzi was nibbling at Bruce’s heels.  

They had breakfast and played finger football with a napkin, while everyone on staff pretended to be none the wiser as to who they were.  Debated who had the better hashbrowns, Alfred or Mam’s, and decided Mam’s.  Collectively agreeing to never tell Alfred because he would probably passive aggressively feed them oatmeal or something.  

A completely different time.

Dick slide his eyes closed for a moment.  Bringing his hands up to rub his face with a slight groan.  Scrubbing the memory away for the time being, stilling has it faded into the background.

He let the sounds of the diner wash over him.  From the soft sound of an seventies song over the speakers, to the sudden booming laugh of one of the mob guys.  

Dick carefully slide his hands away from his face.  Done in such away his sunglasses fell back into place over his eyes right away.  Meaning no one caught a glimpse of who he might be if they were looking at him.  Something Dick was sure, at least four people there were.  Just out of general curiosity rather than a want to know.

He keep his eyes closed however.  

Still hyper aware of where everyone was in the restaurant.  Not just by sound, but feel.  

He could feel where everyone was.  Where  _ everything _ was in the restaurant.  How it was all interacting with everything around it.  Not in the finest of details, but more than enough to move if someone decided to throw a coffee mug right at his face.  Or Batman landed on the roof for some reason.

Something that had saved him more times on the streets than he could count.

Dick lets himself feel it all.  Relish in the stillness and comfort it gave him, as he took slow breaths. Trying not to think too much about what happened in the manor.  How he hadn’t felt the slight change around him, before it happened.  

Or how lucky it was it wasn’t more noticable.

He sighed heavily for a moment, easing as much of the tension out of his body at the thought.

The teen knew why he hadn’t noticed it.  He was angry with Bruce for not listening to him.  Frustrated Bruce needed more of an answer than Dick just slightly freaking out the idea of a press release.  Things flared up before he noticed when he got angry if he wasn’t careful.

A sudden sharp pain arched from the base of the skull through Dick’s forehead.

Dick’s breath suddenly caught at the feeling.  

His eyes snapping open.

_ Fuck. _

That shouldn’t be possible.  

But a spike in the intensity of the pain in his head told him, that somehow it was.  Which means they got smart in a different way than Dick would have liked.

Quickly Dick dropped his feet from the opposite booth.  Carefully straightening up in his seat, just fast enough to prepare him for whoever was there, but slow enough to not draw too much attention for him.  The feeling of the tangle racing towards his limbs.

Could the universe give him a break for once.

Especially given the fact that Bruce had  _ no clue he was there _ .

Dick winced as the pain in his head spiked slightly again. 

Then eased back into a dull ache.

A dull ache that still hurt as the pain danced through the nerves of his head.  Almost like a bad headache, but somehow worse and more annoying.  It disorents Dick slightly as he scanned the diner for someone,  _ anyone, _ that could be doing that to him.

“Is that seat taken?”  A voice asked smoothly.

Dick’s blood ran cold at the sound. 

The teen turned slowly in the direction of the voice.  Suddenly feeling someone just behind him.  Cursing to himself as he realized the pain had distorted their entrance behind him in the side door.  

They moved before he could even open his mouth to spit out some sharp comment.  Dick watched them carefully as they sank into the seat of the opposite seat.

“ _ Slade _ ,” Dick hissed venomously.

The older mercenary made a slight bowing movement with his left hand at his name.  A slight smirk pulling at his lips as he stared down Dick dangerously with his one good eye. 

He was dressed in civilian clothes.  A simple black turtleneck, and plain gray overcoat.  Nothing that stuck out in a crowd like his uniform.  The only thing that would give him away was his eyepatch and hair.  But Dick knew he had to have more than a few weapons hidden well on his person. Still a danger.

“Robin,” Slade returned easily.

The tingling in Dick’s skull ignited, brightly.

Dick slammed him back against the back of the booth at the name without moving the slightest of muscles.  Trapping Slade against the booth easily with the manipulation the tingling gave him.  Roughly focusing a little extra pressure one Slade’s chest.

At some point the mercenary had figured out that Dick was Robin.  Pieced together some a few things from their interactions.  Like how Dick had muscle memory for more than a few fight and acrobatic moves.  Because he left Dick confirm for it him when he whispered the fact at Dick once.  Promised he wasn’t going to tell.

And from what Dick could tell, so far he hadn’t.

The pain in Dick’s head spiked sharply return.

Dick pulled back sharply, realing slightly, as Slade eased away from the booth.  Smoothing his shirt lightly, like it got ruffled.

Slade tsked as him lightly, as the pain eased back into the dull ache from before.  “Don’t be rude, Birdie.”  Slade stated cooly.  He carefully rested his right hand on the table.  The bulk of his hand hiding a small gray device.  His index finger carefully resting along a dial.  “I’d hate for your headache to worse.”

Dick feels the tingle surge through him. 

He pushed it back into Slade’s chest again.  

A careful flick of a finger as Dick pushed down more.  Forcing the air out of the older man’s lungs under the pressure.  Watching as he carefully struggled to lift the weight of his chest.  A smirk mirror Slade’s as Dick glared back at him from behind his sunglasses.

Two could easily play at that game.

And Slade would need air a lot sooner than Dick could hold out against the ache in his head.

“One cheeseburger, extra greasy.”  The waitress’ voice stated suddenly.  A fluttering teasing tone on the last two words.  She suddenly came into view out of the corner of Dick’s eye.  Same cheery, bubbly smile she had when Dick first arrived.  “With a side of fries and pickles on the side.”  She continued as she placed the plate in front of Dick.  

She carefully placed a set of silverware down on the table.  And a good stack of napkins in the middle of the table.  Seeming to be completely oblivious for the tension Dick is giving off. Both in general and towards Slade across from him.

“Can I get you anything, sir?”  The waitress asked as she turned to look at Slade.

Slade glanced at Dick coolily for a moment.  Before raising an eyebrow slightly at the teenager.  His right index finger tapped the dial of the device in his hand.  A silent remember of how dangerous of game they were playing.

Dick released him easily.

Slade dropped away from the back of the booth with an audible breath.  He blinked at Dick in mock thanks, before turning to the waitress with a dangerous smile.  One that looked like easy charms.

“A cup of coffee would be much appreciated.”  Slade stated easily.

And the waitress scampered off again.  Only to return moments later with a fresh mug and a coffee pot.  Slade thanked her like she was some kind of angel as she filled the cup with coffee.

“Anything else?”  She asked pleasantly.

Slade motioned for her to go as he took a sip of his coffee.  But the waitress didn’t leave until Dick gave her a small nod that she could go.  Maybe she had noticed the tension between them slightly.

“Turn it off.”  Dick demanded firmly, once the waitress was gone.

Slade sighed heavily as he placed his mug down.  “So demanding for such a little bird.”

Dick moved to kick Slade’s shin under the table.  But the other moved his leg out of the way before contact.  Making Dick’s foot thump loudly against the base of the booth.

“Easy now,” Slade returned sharply, pointedly glaring at Dick.  

His index finger suddenly moved the dial up to a few levels.  He seemed to grin slightly as the acrobat winced with a slight groan of pain through gritted teeth in response.  But then he turned it back until it clicked in place and flicked a switch on the side.  The ache completely vanished from Dick’s head.  Carefully, Slade lifted the device from the table and placed it down by the condiments to his left.

Dick eyes shifted between Slade and the device for a moment.  

A plan starting to form in his mind.  

If he could get the device away from Slade, then maybe he could figure out how it worked.  How it communicated with the damn chip they put the back of his head.  What frequency it used.  And maybe, in a sense, find a way to block the signal from being used against him.

Being used against the others, whenever he found them.

“Don’t.”  Slade warned coldly from behind his mug.  Not doubt seeing what Dick was planning before he could even make move.  “I didn’t come here for a fight.”

The teenager raised an eyebrow at the words.  

Not that Dick wanted to give Slade a fight.  

The diner was way too public.  Filled with too many variables that could interfere in all the wrong ways.  And Slade doesn’t always fight clean. They’ll destroy the whole diner before the cops could do anything.  

Or worse Batman showed up.

“Then  _ why _ are you here, Slade?”  Dick asked levely.

“To see if my theory was correct.”  Slade informed lazily as he set his mug back down.  Dick raised his eyebrow higher as he crossed his arms.  Slade looked at him easily.  “It was.  Figured you use League tech to get back to Gotham.”

Dick tensed.

“Relax, kid, I’m the only one who knows your here.”  Slade assured easily.  Said in such a way that Dick actually believed the older man for some reason.  “I’ve convinced everyone you’ve slipped through our fingers again.  And you’re not going to make for Gotham for some time.  Everyone is looking everywhere but here.”  Slade continued with a simply as he toyed with the cup of coffee on the table.  “You’re welcome, by the way.”

The teen hummed fakely at the older mercenary.  “Leaves me for just you.”  Dick returned pointly.

He knew the game Slade was playing. 

It’s plain as day power grab.  

If he brought Dick back in single handedly, well that spelled something of a promotion.  More of a seat at the table then what he currently had of a basic drill sergeant.  

Especially if he brought Dick in without using anything to suppress him, then Slade suddenly had value.  Someone that could handle Dick without aid.  Someone that could beat Dick out of his damn stubbornness and manipulate and maneuver into something they could control through him.  

And Slade had always wanted that.

Slade smirked behind his mug. “You should eat your food before it get cold.”  Slade pointed out after a moment.

Dick’s eyes dropped down to the plate of food and frowned.

He had lost his appetite the moment Slade appeared behind him.  And it wasn’t going to come back anytime soon.   He didn’t even want to think about touching food.

Which was a shame because he had really been craving something off Alfred’s strict meal plan.

“Shame,” Slade signed out dramatically.

The older man placed his mug back down on the table.  Sliding it just out of the way by the handle.  Before he reached for a fry on the edge of the plate.

In one quick motion, Dick grabbed his fork, and slammed it down into the table heavily.  Mere centimeters from Slade’s wrist.  Glaring at Slade coldly from behind his sunglasses, and a dangerously calm expression on his face.  Daring him to just continue trying.

The whole diner suddenly went quiet at the sound.

Dick could feel the whole collective of the diner patron turn to see what it was.

There was an understanding at Mam’s that it was neutral ground.  

Terf wars and grudges were left at the door.  

The moment anyone stepped through the doors, it didn’t matter who they were.  Everyone just became a simple Gothamite getting something to eat.  And that was that.  There were no law men, or outlaws, or gang wars.  Just simple comfort foods to bond over.

If there was an issue, or a conformation, it went outside.  

No matter what.

And Dick just slammed a fork down right at the idea.  

In clear warning no less. 

And everyone is trying to get a read on the situation.  Trying to figure out just what was going on between the two.

Dick could already see some them had already zeroed in on Slade as the one on fault.  Since the teen hadn’t actually stabbed the older man’s hand.  Rather nearby in warning.  No doubt looking a little feral in his body language, though Dick feels amazingly still, aside form the tingle in his limbs.  

And visually out of two, Slade appeared to be the more dangerous one.

The three GCPD officers and the two mob men by the door were the two groups watching them the closest. One of each party ready to get out of their seat if something starts to happen.

Slade could more than sense the hostile turn against him in the room.

Easily, he held his hands up in surrender, before he pulled his arm away.

Dick pulled the fork out of the table, paying the holes in the table top no mind.

And chatter slowly started to fill the diner backup as tension seemed to fade away.  Everyone went back to what they were doing like nothing happened.

“I told you I am not here for fight, 03238.”  Slade stated easily.  “But it can more the arranged if you persist.”  He added with a cold dangerous tone.  “I’m not against returning you to the Light ahead of schedule.”

Dick suddenly shifted and doubled the pull of gravity to the back of the booth Slade was in.  Cause the older man to grunt suddenly at the shift.  The tingling in the back of his skull sparking off the hook as he released it steadily.  Strengthening the force of gravity pulling Slade to the back so he couldn’t move, but made sure the both didn’t break against the effects.  

Something that was a little easier to do since Slade had managed to piss him off.

His right hand tingled as he pooled the pull of gravity underneath it. Focusing the pull against the device by Slade.  Yanking it towards his hand fluidly. Crushing it with the force of five times Earth’s gravity.  The sound of metal snapping and bending, circuits cracking, and mechanics dying was brief.

Quickly Dick shoved the broken device in his hand into the pocket of his hoodie.  Deciding he needed to get out the diner.  

Get out of there fast.

Before things escalated more than already had.  Slade might not want to fight, but he was no doubt egging Dick into one.  Trying to forces Dick’s hand into a sloppy mistake that he could exploit against him.

The acrobat effortlessly made his way out the booth his was in.  Tightening the pull on Slade when the older man tried to move, and pushed the air out of his lungs slight before he could say anything.

Dick fished out some money from the pocket of his jeans.  Carefully counting out more than enough for his meal and a generous tip.

“You know, not many people go up against gravity and come out on top.”  Dick stated levely as leaned down to toss the money on the table.  “And I say that from personal experience.  Now it’s all at my fingertips.”  Dick added with a wave of his tingling fingers, fluttering the effects on the older man.  Reminding Slade just how powerfully he could really be if pushed.  “What made you think you’ll win?”

Slade glared in return.

Dick hummed idly.  Savoring that for once he had something of the upper hand after  _ months _ of Slade beating him down.

Of the Light beating him down.  Experimenting on him for their own gain.

He wasn’t going to go back so easily.

“Enjoy Gotham, Slade.”  Dick tossed over his shoulder as he turned on the balls of his feet.  

He slide out the side door of Mam’s easily.  Completely unnoticed by everyone in the back, save Slade, who was still glaring at him sharply.  Springing over the railing of the stairs to the entrance, Dick yanked back his extent of his ability on Slade.  Carefully making his way to the nearby alley way.  

He knew Slade wasn’t going to follow.  His play was mostly to tell Dick he was there.  Perhaps dangle the fact that he could quickly ruin Dick’s hiding spot.  Or reveal all his secrets at any given time to those around him.

His hand brushed the broken device in his hoodie pocket as he shoved them in there.

Dick grinned to himself.  Finally something happened in his favor for after what felt like so long.  He glanced up at the gloomy night sky of Gotham above the alleyway.

Taking a deep breath, Dick eased away gravity’s pull on his body.  In a manner of two jumps against the side of the buildings of the alley way, he was on the rooftop ten stories up.  Fluid and easy.

And he made his way back to the manor.

* * *

He was flying.

Soaring through the air in a series of twists and flips.  Gravity barrely seeming to touch him as he cut through the air.  Completely free and light.

Then his hand grabbed the trapeze bar as it arched.  The feel of gravity taking hold for a brief moment as he swung down.  The momentum too great from for it too take too much of hold.  Give it enough for for him for his parents to reach him.

Reach him and pull him back down to the platform before gravity pulled him back too far.  Help him put his feet back on the ground. All with warm smile and prideful looks, because he was the grand finale.  

He is  _ always _ the grand finale.

But then the line snapped, and he was falling.

Falling away.  

Away from his family, his  _ parents _ , who just watch in horror.  Both his parents reaches out on horror.  His mother’s eyes wide, and his father so helpless.  Fingers and hands too far away for him to even grab.

He was falling  _ too _ fast.

Gravity doesn’t usually feel like this.  It was pulling him down strong than normal.  Harsher than normal.  Like it wanted to have and consume him completely. 

The sight of the big top, and his family tunnels away into darkness as he fell.

Fell further than he  _ should _ have from the wires.

Suddenly he slams into something hard.  The heavy sound of metal rings in his ears. 

The force knocks the breath out of him, and his body aches from impact.  But it doesn’t break him.  Not in the slightest.  Despite that fact that he knew it  _ should _ have broken him.  It would have broken any other normal human instantly.

He groaned up at the darkness surround him.  Finding it supplies some comfort.

Yet is is quickly yanked away as something clasped down around his neck.  

Dread set in quickly.  He can’t  _ feel _ the gravity around him.  Can’t feel the tingle in his limbs or his skull.  It’s gone...suppressed to the point where it can’t do for him.  It’s there but he can’t reach it or use it.  

But before his hands can reach up to grab at it, pull his neck free of it, some clasped around his wrists.  Cold metal holding them against the metal behind his has back.

Then electricity courses through him.  Crackles thickly through the air.  

He screams in pain. 

Only there is no sound.

The electricity stopped soon after.  He collapsed against the metal panting.

And then he saw it.  

The door of the tube they put him in.  

Closing down on top of him before he can struggle or wiggle his way free.  The sight of that damn number etched along the side of the glass.  It clicked closed with a hiss above him.  The clear glass fogging over instantly as a rush of cold courses through the space.

It cleared almost instantly though.

Cleared in with a flood of the familiar light of the hidden laboratory they used.

And Vandal Savage is leering over him.

“Simone Weil stated two forces that rule the universe: light and gravity.” Savage stated levelly as he turned slightly to one side.  The same way he did the first time Dick woke up to him hovering over him in his pod.  Only this time, Slade was standing there, the fakest look of humbleness ever.  “He could not be more right now that you have returned 03238 to his rightful place in the Light.”

“ _ No!” _ Dick hissed as his eyes snapped open.  

Finding the ceiling of his room closer than it should be.  Like  _ way  _ closer than it should be.  Like he could reach out and touch from where he was lying down.  Then he dropped back down onto his bed.  Bouncing slightly from the springs with a slight grunt of surprise.

It was buried under the sound of the furniture in his room, collectively crashing back down, however.  Both his dresser and a bookshelf topple over with loud a heavy sound.  And a few other things fall over loudly, or titered off balance towards the floor. 

Dick caught the lamp by his bed before it crash against the floor.  Letting out a breath of relief as it hoved an inch of the ground.

A sense that was short lived.

The sound of the door across the hall from his room opening sharply was heard.

_ Shit! _  Dick thought sharply as he scrambled to get out of his bed.

The sheets twisted around his legs as he tried to move.  Causing him to tip and topple slightly out of the bed.  Dick cursed to himself as he managed to catch himself enough to make it  _ not _ sound like fell out of the bed.  

“What hell was that?!”  Jason’s voice demanded, over the sound of hurried steps, as Dick managed to wiggle his leg free.

“Nothing!”  Dick snapped harshly, as he rolled to his feet.

He pushed against the door before even reaching it.  Just incase Jason was somehow faster than him and pushed through the door before Dick reached it.  The younger teen seemed to be the type that would just barge in.

“That didn’t sound like nothing.”  Jason countered form behind the door.

And, yeah, Dick will  _ give _ him that one.  

Because, after all, it wasn’t nothing.  Just all of Dick’s bedroom furniture coming out of weightlessness suddenly because Dick had a nightmare.  Which was something it shouldn’t usually do.  Not mention probably sound like Dick was suddenly fighting someone off in his room.

“Well it was,”  Dick growled out heatedly as he turned to glance at his alarm clock.

_ 3:56am _ , it read.  

Which meant Bruce was likely home from patrolling Gotham.

As if on some kind of cue, Dick could make out footsteps coming down the hall.   _ Two _ pairs of footsteps.  Both hurried in their own sense, but one was moving just faster than the other.  Dick just knew it was Bruce for a handful of nights just waking up screaming about some nightmare about something terrible.

_ Fuck _ .

Jason suddenly pushed on the door.  It didn’t bunde in inch under the force Dick had against it.  But that didn’t stop Jason from trying to open it by ramming his weight into it.  There is panicked tingle in Dick’s arms as he pushed against the door just a little more to resist.

This was honestly the last thing Dick needed happen after last night, and running into Slade.

“Jason, that’s enough!”  Bruce’s voice ordered lowly. 

To Dick’s relief that ramming came to stop.  A slight squeak in the old manor floor told Dick, the younger teen moved away slightly from his door too.  Done at the same time as the sound of Bruce’s steps slowed to stop as he reached Dick’s door.  Which was a win-lose on Dick’s part.

“What happened?”  Bruce ground out like it was a demand.

“The sound came from Dick’s room.”  Jason’s voice stated in quick defense.  “When I asked what happened, he lied.”

Dick blinked at the door in shock for a moment.  The  _ goddamn _ brat sold him out.  

Okay, Dick actually figured that might happened at some point.  It was bound to happen.  But Dick figured it would be over something dumb, or when Jason wanted attentions Bruce wasn’t completely giving him any more.  

Not whatever was happening currently.

“I didn’t  _ lie _ .”  Dick snapped angrily in return.

“ _ Yes _ you did!”  Jason returned equally.

Dick was half tempted to give into the urge to tear open his door and charge at Jason.  Ram him into the opposite wall of the hallway, and held him there till the other teen agreed with him.

Only he doesn’t.  Because that would mean opening his door. Opening his door where they could all see the state it’s in and realize something like doesn’t just  _ happen _ . Not to mention, Bruce would be on Dick the moment he grabbed Jason.  Yanking him away, and holding him down when Dick was in mood and state to fight.  

It would not end well for anyone.

“Dick,” Bruce’s voice asked with a sigh.  Tone soft, but strained and frustrated too.  “What happened?”

The acrobat turned to glance at the state of his room in the dark.  Frowning slightly to himself as he tried to figure out the right thing to say.  The tingle in his limbs was racing up and down, and he can feel gravity shifting around him.

“I’m fine.”  He stated after a moment.

“That doesn’t answer the question, Dick.”  Bruce returned.  His voice tight like he was keeping from saying something.  Trying to sound sound calm and easy, so he doesn’t push Dick into a panic.  Probably something Dinah suggested at some point.  “What happened?  What was the sound?”

Dick fell quiet again.

He stares at his room more.  The toppled over bookshelf and dresser.  The lamp that was fallen softly to the floor without a sound at some point.  The collection of odds and ends that were scattered about the floor.

He’s almost at a loss at what to do.  

Other than lie.  

Only, Bruce would see through it all more than Jason had if Dick wasn’t careful.  Given the fact that Dick had been gone for eight months, and seriously injured, it could be worse.  No doubt a sound like that had Bruce thinking the worst.

“I’m coming in,”  Bruce suddenly declared suddenly.

The bedroom door open a fraction, before Dick slammed his full weight into it to close it.  Cursing himself for letting the force against the door fade away in his thoughts.  Dick easily increased his weight as Bruce gave a push back.

“A shelf fell.”  Dick said hurriedly before Bruce could demand he let him in. 

Which is true.  

A shelf did fall...a  _ bookshelf _ , but still a shelf.

There was a heavy silence that passed over the conversation.  

One that told Dick Bruce wasn’t  _ truly _ buying into that excuse.

Because the sound was too loud for one shelf falling.  No it was furniture falling over levels of volume.  And furniture falling over over usually it meant a fight knocked them over most of the time in their world.  And a fight in Dick’s room, when no one even knew he was there, was definitely not a  _ good  _ thing.  

“A shell fell and startled me awake.”  Dick lied further before Bruce could say anything as the silence stretched on.  “I…” Dick hesitated for a second on just  _ what  _ to say, “panicked.”

Another silence washed over the conversation. 

The time it felt more stunned.  

Probably because it was the first time, as Dick realized in that moment, that he admit to panicking over something.  Instead of just scurrying away deal with it alone.  It was a fact that everyone in manor knew what was happening.  Clear and day, it didn’t need to said.  But still...

“ _ Nothing _ happened, okay,”  Dick continued on a babble.  Like he mistook the silence for something else, and was scrambling to fill it with noise.  “I just fell out of bed, and knocked some things over, trying to both get free of the bedsheets and figure out what the noise was.  I’m  _ fine _ .”

Carefully he turned to his back was against the door.  Leaning heavily against the door.  Knowing no one in the manor currently could dream of pushing his current weight out of the way of door.  Or move him in general.  It gave him a weak sense of comfort.

Dick glanced at the mess of furniture in his room.  

He ran a hand through his hair at the sight.  Slowly sinking against the door to the floor.

God this was bad.  It was one thing to worry and hide his new abilities from everyone when he was awake.  Now he had to worry about when was asleep.  Something, that only had happened a few times after Dick first escaped.  And he noticed soon enough to stop it before it got out of hand.

But this was...different.  

This would be  _ worse _ .

“I’m fine.”  Dick repeated after a moment.  Curling into a ball against the door as he tried to breath the panic away before it could grab him completely at the idea.  “Sorry for waking everyone.”

“Dick…” Bruce started but stopped himself.

Dick half willed his mentor to just go away.  Actually drop whatever he was going to say and leave.  Not like he bought into the fact that Dick was fine.  But rather he knew nothing he could say would exactly help things.  So there was no point in trying and making things worse.  Simply leave them for a time when things were less...delicate.

The other half want Bruce to try.  With the gentle tones and soft manner Dick remembered from early Robin days, and after terrible Charity Gala events.  Just assure him that things would be fine and he doesn’t have to be  _ alone _ .

But he knew neither would likely be the case.

Dick heard the slights of squeaks of in the floorboards of the hallway.  

Something he knew to be Alfred shifting slightly.  Probably with a look that told Bruce something.  It was closely followed by the sound of Jason shuffling back towards his room, like Alfred shooed him back to bed.  An ever so soft click of the door closing followed after a brief moment of silence.

“Young Master Dick, do you require any assistance?”  Alfred asked calmly.  He sounded closer to the door than before.

“No,”  Dick started with a heavy sigh.  “It’s fine, Alfred, I got it.  Thanks for the offer.”

“You are most welcome, Master Dick.”  Alfred returned easily. “If you require anything, you know Master Bruce and I are just down hall.  Do not hesitate to get either of us.”  The last sentence sounded more like a pointed reminder.

Dick hummed loud enough to be heard through the door.

There was a heavy sigh on the other side.  One Dick figured was from Bruce, but he couldn’t completely tell.  For all he knew it could have been both of the two older man.  And there was at least thirty seconds of silence before he heard the two move away from his door.

Dick listened to the sound of their steps as they continued down the hall.  

He made sure they were far down the hall, and Jason had crawled back into his bed, before he moved..

The acrobat stood up from the door.  Quickly flicking the lock on the door, before walking back towards his bed.  He sighed heavily to himself as he looked over the state of his room.  He ran a hand through his dark hair, before trying it back with the hair tie Barbara gave him when he first work up.  

Carefully figure out a battle plan for how he need to go about cleaning everything up.  Along with which shelf he needed to have “fallen” down.  It wasn’t easy.  There was a lot to pick up, and he needed to be carefully not to make too much noise moving things around.  Or knocking a shelf off a wall.

“One step forwards, two steps back,” Dick muttered to himself as he strolled over to the fallen book shelf.  

He easily waving a large amount of gravitational pull on it, before standing it back up.  Lifted it like it was made of styrofoam, instead of heavy oak.  The tingle in his limbs flowing with practiced ease, it almost felt.. _.normal _ .

Dick tried not to linger on the realization.

Even if he knew there was no going back.  No reversing what was done to him, only suppressing or not using it.  This was his new normal.  

It was still a dangerous one.  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Like I said at the beginning, this fic takes place immediately after "Sold My Soul to a Three-Piece". I mean their like an hour or so apart from each other. This is the second half of that story, since I split it into two.
> 
> So yes, if it is for some reason not super clear, Dick has powers in this series. 
> 
> He has the power to manipulate gravity how he wants. Mean he can shift the direction of gravity, increase or decrease it's pull on things (including himself or others), push out or pull in with it, and basically mimic flight with it. A power I've sort of imagined Dick have/getting if he ever became a meta. Mostly because he's acrobatic skills, and the fact that a few DC characters thinking something along the lines of laws of Gravity not applying to him.
> 
> And yes, he was capture by the Light. Because in my mind I feel like the Light had an early run of snatching up runaways and experiment on them to "Advertise" to the Reach and other alien parties, that humans had meta-genes to activate and control.
> 
> But that is all I will go into.
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed!


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